What I learned about illness, hospitals and paranoia

October 14, 2014

My 6-year-old son had a hacking, persistent cough for weeks. It stayed for at least a full month.According to WebMD, it could have been caused by asthma, bronchitis, a goiter or the early onset of Pompe Disease, which may have been the most frightening of all of the possibilities, because I had no idea what it was.So his father took him to Premium Pediatrics in Niles, where the physician's assistant listened to his lungs, prescribed cough syrup, and sent him home. He continued to cough. He would cough so much that his eyes would water and his cheeks would turn red. He looked like a ...

Active listening promotes civil conversation about any topic

October 10, 2014

I recently was at a family gathering, and as they have a habit of doing, a variety of hot-button issues came up in our conversation. Of course, things got heated as people who represent one side of the issue started going after those who represent the other. Things got louder and louder, until someone demanded that it stop. Then ensued three or four minutes of awkward silence as we tried to find our way back to civility and neutral topics of conversation.It was just downright awkward.This scene, I imagine, is not unfamiliar to you; we all go to parties where issues come up and the ...

Columnist bucket gets a refill

October 7, 2014

Ever since I was chosen for a yearlong stint as one of the twice a month Community Columnists in the Tribune, I have had this doubt in the back of my mind. What if I can't come up with the desired 24 columns?I had heard that sometimes there are only so many items of a kind in the creative bucket. What if I scrape the bottom of the bucket way before I come up with all 24?I had spent most of Tuesday evening, Sept. 23, polishing up what I was going to propose to be a two-part column for the Community Columnist, which was due for submission on Friday for publication today and Oct. 14. It was ...

Camporee takes on ‘Frozen’ theme

October 3, 2014

By BOB COUPLANDTribune ChronicleVERNON - It was very nice late summer weather, but the theme for this year's Girl Scouts Camporee was ''Frozen,'' with scouts learning skills to stay warm and safe in the outdoors.Erica Sincich, a parent and Scout leader, said the Disney movie "Frozen" was behind the many activities that Girls Scouts from Howland and Vienna took part in at Camp Sugarbush this past weekend.Troop leader Barbara Rosenblum said the movie is very popular, and segued into learning survival skills such as starting a fire, using a compass, cooking in the woods and helping someone ...

Used clothing sale to be held

October 3, 2014

AWL HOLDS WALK FOR THE ANIMALS: The Animal Welfare League of Trumbull County's 19th annual Walk for the Animals will be held Sunday at 812 Youngstown Kingsville Road S.E., Vienna. Registration begins at noon. Schedule of events includes blessing of the animals at 1 p.m., open bark park and walking path from 1 to 4 p.m., fun events at 2:30 p.m. and awards at 3:30 p.m. There will be a free T-shirt to each walker. Prizes will be awarded to top 10 money raisers. All checks made to Animal Welfare League. Prizes will also be awarded for the most amazing pet trick contest, best pet costume, ...

Offer support to abuse victims

September 30, 2014

Ray Rice was banned from football. Initially, he was given a two-game suspension for the domestic abuse charges. As a victim of domestic violence, I was appalled by this incredibly weak response by the NFL.Then the video was released.After that, a flurry of public attention has been directed at domestic abuse.Almost immediately, the Ray Rice jokes began to appear in my social media timelines. Then Ted Robinson, a radio broadcaster for the San Francisco 49ers, made an insensitive comment that made me realize that this issue is still so very misunderstood.Robinson stated that Rice's wife, ...